Railway-switch-lever latch.



.6. H. STARR.

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GEORGE H. STARR, 0F ATHENS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-THIRD TO H. C. TUMBLIN, OF ATHEN-S, TENNESSEE, AND ONE-THIRD TO 'CLEM J'. JONES AND ROBERT A. DAVIS, COMPRISING THE FIRM OF JONES & DAVIS, 0F ATHENS, TENNESSEE.

RAILWAY-SWITCH-LEVER LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application led November 16, 1916, Serial No. 131,691. Renewed October 17, 1918. Serial No. 258,618.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. STARR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Athens, in the county of McMinn and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switch- Lever Latches, of which the following is a speciiication.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic switch lever locks and has as its primary object the provision of a simple and efficient and automatic lock for maintaining a switch lever of the standard type now in use on railway switches against movement so as to lock the switch in a position to which 'the same is thrown.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that in the use of the hand operated track switches employed on railways a latch member is provided for retaining the switch lever against movement, particularly after the switch has been thrown to close a siding. A padlock is then applied which serves to retain the lever against movement thereby preventing unauthorized persons from opening a siding and causing a wreck.

My invention contemplates the provision of an automatic lock member for association with the latch member referred to such'that when the latch member is moved to the retaining position a padlock is automatically closed and locked, maintaining the latch member in the retaining position.

y invention also contemplates the provision of a device of the character described which may be applied to any of the railway switches now in common use without alter ing the structure of the switch.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which employs standard articles for reaching the object desired thereby materially reducing the cost of manufacture and installation of these devices.

Other objects and advantages to be derived from the use of my improved switch latch will appear from the following detailed description and the claims, taken with an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a latching device embodying the improvementsv of .ing base portions 13.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the latch device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein similar characters of reference designate like and corresponding parts throughout the various views, B designates the body of my improved latch in its entirety, the same consisting of a sheet of metal bent at 10 to form spaced side portions 11 and 12, the free margins of said side portions being formed with laterally extend- Said base portions may be provided with openings 14, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, whereby the device may be secured to a railway tie adjacent the switch lever, which latter is shown in dotted lines and designated L.

The latch member comprisesa` rocker arm 15 pivoted between the side portions 11 and 12 on a shaft 16, said arm 15 being formed with a seat 17 to receive the lever L. The

outer end of the arm 15 is provided with an upwardly directed extension 18 provided with a weight 19 on the free end. A retaining standard 20 extends upwardlyl from the arm 15, said standard being formed with a laterally directed lug 21 disposed in the path of movement upwardly of said lever, serving to prevent raising the same lwhen in the position shown in the drawing.

A vpadlock is provided adapted for auto matic operation to retain the arm 15 in the latching position, said padlock being designated P and mounted between the side portions 11 and 12. Rivets,l bolts or the like 22 serve to retain said padlock in position. The padlock is provided with the usual shackle 23 pivoted at 211 to the body of the lock. A pair of links 25 pivotalljvy connected at 26 and 27 to the inner end of the arm 15 and said shackle, respectively, serves to operatively associate the latch member and the padlock. The padlock is provided with the usual key opening 28 which is normally closed by the guard 29.

vThe side portion 11 is recessed as at 30 to the latter' is released. Movement of the shackle 23 downwardly causes the arm 15 to be moved to the lower position which removes the lug 21 from the path of the lever L permitting the lever to be moved into engagement with the seat 17. This movement will automatically rengage the shackle with the lock retaining the arm 15 against movement and hence preventing movement of the lever L. A pin 32 limits the upward move ment of the arm 15. Thus it will be seen that in the provision of my improved latch I have afforded means for locking a switch lever against movement and it will be readily apparent that the device as shown may be installed on any standard hand operated switch.

In order to reduce the shock on the padlock to minimum when moving the lever L to engage the seat 17, I provide a projection 33 on the arm 15 for the switchman to place one foot on and thereby prevent violent closing of the padlock.

A project-ion 34 serves to reinforce the seat 17 of the arm 15 when the lever L engages the same.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of my invention may be had, and while I have shown and de scribed the device as embodying a specific structure, I desire that it be understood that such changes may be made in said structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device as specified, including a body formed of a strip of metal bent intermediate its ends to form parallel spaced portions, the free ends thereof being bent to forni base portions, a latch arm having a seat portion,

said arm being pivoted between the parallel portions of said body, a standard carried by said arm and provided with a lug to engage a lever, a padlock mounted between the parallel portions of said body and having a pivoted shackle, and link members connecting said shackle with one free end of said latch arm.

2. In a device of the class described, a supporting body formed of a strip of metal bent intermediate its ends to form parallel spaced portions, the free ends of which are bent to form base portions, a latch arm pivotally mounted between said side portions, a padlock carried between said side port-ions above said latch arm, said latch arm having a seat portion and a retainer member to receive a lever, said padlock having a pivoted shackle, and means connecting said shackle with said latch arm whereby to automatically lock the latter when the shackle is moved to the closed position.

3. The combination with a body having" a pivoted latch arm thereon, said latch arm having a seat, of a padlock operatively connected with said arm, a foot receiving projection on the rear end of said arm and a projection on said body beneath the seat to reinforce the arm.

1. A device as specified, including a body formed of a strip of metal bent intermediate its ends to form parallel spaced portions, the free ends thereof being bent to form base portions, a padlock, means for securing said padlock in rigid position between the spaced portions adjacent the bent portion thereof, a shackle pivotally associated with said padlock, means connecting the shackle with the latch to lock the latter, means for limiting the movement of said arm, and supporting means for said padlock for a purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

GEORGE H. STARR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

